New police powers to tackle village yobs

3:43pm Tuesday 20th May 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

LARGE gangs of drunken yobs are descending on a village and causing misery for neighbours.

Now police have vowed to crackdown on the increasing chaos being caused by youths in pockets of Rainford by bringing in powers designed to prevent gangs of teenagers from hanging around the village.

Some of the troublemakers are believed to travelling into Rainford from places like Kirkby, via trains to Rainford Junction.

But the area's Neighbourhood Inspector Zoe Thornton also called on local parents to take responsibility for children's whereabouts and behaviour.

She said: "There have been large groups of both local and visiting youths gathering in these areas.There is significant evidence of underage drinking and anti-social behaviour, which has been causing a number of local residents significant distress and making life difficult for them.

"This is unacceptable and, by introducing the dispersal orders, we will have powers to deal robustly with those who act anti-socially.

"I would urge local parents and guardians to support us by ensuring they know where their children are and that they are behaving properly when using facilities in the area.

"This particular problem has been a growing one and whilst the dispersal order will help provide respite to victims, it is only part of the solution in the longer term.

"Parents need to take responsibility and play their part alongside ourselves and partner agencies in tackling the issue".

Rainford will be the latest area across St Helens to introduce dispersal zones which attempt to rid communities of anti-social behaviour. This gives police powers under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 to break up groups of two or more people and order them not to return to the area within 24 hours. Anyone who flouts the police orders can face arrest.

However, the powers have been criticised previously for simply shifting the trouble onto other locations.

Three 'Section 30' dispersal zones will come into force from Monday, May 26 and will run for six months, operating from 6pm until 1am each day.

The areas covered are:

• Zone 1-Cross Pit Lane, The Spinney, Old Lane, Scarisbrick Road and Higher Lane, Rainford.

• Zone 2-Cross Pit Lane,Whalley Avenue, Pilkington Street, Leyland Avenue and Church Road, Rainford.

• Zone 3- News Lane, Rail Close, Kendal Drive, Springfield, and Bushy Lane, Rainford Junction, Rainford Police have pledged that neighbourhood police officers and community support officers will regularly patrol these areas.

ARE you a Rainford resident affected by the yobs. Post your comments below or contact our newsroom on 01744 762766.